Beyond Appearances
by Faelinys
Summary: The events take place in our present, in Konoha - Year 2014, where Uchiha CEO's son, Itachi, and Sakura meet under not so normal circumstances. But what happens when Sakura and her brother Ren, remain without their father? This is story is ON-HOLD.
1. Ch1 - One's Company

Now Now. Here's my third story on FFnet :D...I just had this idea that I wanted to put on paper as soon as possible. Have a nice reading. Those of you who read it please Review :)

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_**Chapter 1 - One's Company**_

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**Year 2014 - Konoha**

The CEO's son was in his office watching over some files that his father passed him a day ago. Uchiha Itachi had long dark raven hair tied in a low pony-tail behind his back. Wearing a black suit, he untied his neck-tie as it was strangling him. He didn't bother to look at the door when someone knocked on it.

"Enter." he said only that knowing that it was his little brother, Sasuke.

"You aren't finished yet?" his brother asked.

"Just a little bit." Itachi replied.

"You're overworking yourself again, brother. Take it slower, or mother is going to rip my head off if she sees you like this." Itachi gave him a second of glare and afterwards he went back to his files.

"By the way. Have you got father's mail?" Sasuke asked his brother.

"Mail? What mail?" he had his mail opened on his computer but didn't bother to check it.

"One week from now during evening we have a meeting with Harunos. You heard about them right?"

"Hn. I heard some things." Itachi replied. "But you don't need to worry over that."

"I heard it's gonna be about some kind of partnership. Between father and their CEO." Itachi looked at him. "Hm...Father didn't tell me anything about this." Sasuke didn't know what to say. "Wanna go grab something to eat? I supposed you haven't eaten anything since morning and this way I could tell you what I heard." He made this suggestion and Itachi agreed as he knew that he wouldn't be able to continue his work on hunger. So he admited and left with Sasuke. It didn't take much time until they arrived at the company's restaurant.

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Sasuke glanced around as if he was looking for someone. Then he called the waitress and ordered their food.

"I will have the usual. What about you brother?" he asked his elder brother.

"Same as you. So continue with your news." As Sasuke kept telling him what he "heard", Itachi spotted a girl entering the building. Itachi had to admit that she was beautiful as she had a long pink hair that was barely reaching her waist. But what he saw was her green-emerald like eyes that were glittering with happiness when she was chatting with a blonde blue-eyed girl. He supposed she was her friend.

"What are you looking at?" Sasuke asked seeing his brother eyeing something behind him.

"So...finally you're interested in something more than your work? And moreover, a girl." He glanced again behind him eyeing the two girls. The blonde one caught his eyes stood and whispered something to the other one. Itachi kept looking at the pink-haired girl as she slapped her friend's hand. The blue-eyed girl pouted as she sat again in her seat. However her friend wouldn't turn around and so the boys couldn't watch orders arrived and they ate in quiet. Itachi and Sasuke, after, forgot about the girls and didn't pay attention anymore only to their food. The girls drank a cup of juice each, when a man went to their table and they stood to leave.

"You didn't even look at them, Sakura. They are pretty decent men." being curious Sakura listened to Ino and turned around to check the restaurant. It didn't take long until she met the eyes of Itachi as he was done eating.

"He trully is gorgeous." thought Sakura to herself.

"She is beautiful." told Itachi to himself. He didn't stop staring at her only when he saw her leave with her friend and the supposed man.

"We are ready to leave, girls." The man was actually Sakura's father and he attended a meating, while the girls were taking a look around the building.

"Alright, father. We also finished checking the building." she smiled at him and the three of them left the building.

Later, that night Itachi and Sasuke went to a night caffe to relax. After a day like that Itachi felt the need to relax his muscles and also his mind. All the time after he ate, he overworked himself as to catch up with the files for tomorrow's meeting. After all his father did tell him through e-mail though, that they would have an important meeting the next day. Wonderful, is what Itachi thought about that.

"What do you want to drink?" Sasuke asked him as he was looking over the menu with drinks that he knew much too well.

"I'll just have 1 shot of whisky and afterwards I'm on my way home. You?" he replied to his little brother.

"I think I will have the same as you. So...You won't be coming home?" Sasuke asked Itachi looking at his drink that just got served.

"I thought I already made myself understood. Mother should stop bothering you regarding this problem." replied Itachi looking at the barman thanking him for the drink. "Thanks."

"Yea, you know her. She is still hoping. But still...what are you gonna do from now? As I know you still don't have a girlfriend and mother is already expecting nephews from you." he chuckled at his brother as he glared at him back.

"Meh. There's no one I found to even attract me. Not even a little bit." said Itachi somehow remembering the pink-haired girl from the restaurant. He shook his head as if to shoo away the image.

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"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. For the people here I have one 1 question quiz for you. Are you ready?" Itachi checked the caffe room to see if anyone from there would engage in that quiz. He was somehow amazed to see that about 20 people raised their hands for the expected quiz. He just raised an eyebrow.

"Hm...interesting." he mumbled to himself.

"I really wonder what kind of quiz he is playing. I bet that half of people here won't know the answer. Heh, waste of time." said Sasuke as he was watching the man presenting. He didn't have more than 17 years. He was just a prick.

"Here's the question. It hisses but it's not a bug, It has water but it's not a lake, though if you ask and you want it, even from beak will give you drink it." he finished the question. Noww he was waiting for answers.

"This one is hard huh?" said Sasuke looking at Itachi who of course already knew the answer. But as always he didn't bother to show his genius nature. Itachi just waited for someone to answer but for about 5 minutes or so, nobody knew the answer.

"The tea-pot." A girl's voice answered. Everyone looked behind to see who answered.

"Ne-Nee-chan..." the host whispered but the the heard him despite the noise.

"Oh, isn't she..." Sasuke tried to find his words to describe the girl. He already knew she was the one at the restaurant in the afternoon and the same one that Itachi was looking at. She was having her hair let down freely and was wearing a black wavy knee-length dress. It was covered with lace all over except the arms as the dress was sleeveless. Her black heals were matching her dress and the small lace around her neck. Itachi described in his mind as a dark angel. Not a devil, but an angel.

"What is she doing here?" Itachi wondered.

"I finally found you dear brother." she glared at the host which sent a shiver on his spine. "Why don't you come over here a little bit, to talk?" she said smiling to him. But her brother already knew what was gonna happen. He feared her.

"I-I'm sorry, nee-chan. I was just fooling around." he said when they were finally by themselves outside.

"You'd better tell that to father. I'm not the one you should apologise to." she replied to him.

"No. He's gonna lock me in my room again for not listening to him." he mummbled.

"Ren. He's just gonna give you a lesson on how you should be a better man. And stop fooling around at night caffes. You don't want someone specifically to find out right?" she smiled at him again. "Not that smile again..." thought Ren.

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna say anything to him. But you will, tomorrow. Alright?" said Sakura. "Now let's go inside or you're gonna catch a cold. We can stay tonight as tomorrow I don't have anything to do."

"Alright, nee-chan. And I'm sorry." he said again before opening the door to her.

"Tonight, you're treating me to one drink. As payback." she gave him a smirk. "Hey, just because you're 5 years older than me, that doesn't give you the right to abuse me like that."

"You wanna go home now?" she smiled again at him.

"Aw. Geez. Fine, but only one. I'm short on money tonight." they took a seat at the counter and Ren ordered. "What do you want to drink?"

"Gin it's fine. You know I am weak with alcohol." she said looking around the caffe room. Then she spotted the two men that she saw only for a bit at the restaurant. Itachi rose his eyes and looked at her. Sakura being kinda shy averted her eyes and looked at her drink.

"By the way, nee-chan, how did you know the answer to my riddle?" asked Ren glancing at her. "Oh who the hell I am talking to...Of course Sakura would always know everything." he mumbled to himself.

"So...Sakura." thought Itachi. He kept glancing at her and Ren caught him.

"By the way, someone is watching you." whispered Ren to his sister.

"I already know. I saw him today at the company's restaurant. Father..." she finished her gin and when she was about to leave someone stopped her with a grab on her upper arm.

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"Sakura? Is that you?" a womanly voice said from behind her. She turned around to see a beautiful dark haired woman. She was wearing a white straight thigh-length dress which she found it pretty vulgar. Sakura glanced at the woman who just stopped her but she couldn't recognise her. But she did seem familiar, though Sakura couldn't figure out from where.

"Don't tell me you don't remember me anymore..."

"Kurenai? What are you doing here?" Sasuke said from behind the tall woman. "I thought you were gone in USA."

"I just came back. And though why not relax a bit? So I remembered about this place and assumed I might find you here. And it seems I was right."

"Kurenai? Hm...AH !" burst Sakura. "You can't be...Kurenai Yuhi right?"

"Right in person. How have you been dear? How is your mother?" Kurenai asked and saw Sakura and red look at each other for a short while. "She died 5 years ago."

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear about that. My condolences." Kurenai and Sakura seemed to have forgoten about Sasuke who interupted them.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled at Kurenai, but Itachi figured that it wasn't one from the earlier events. It was a sad one.

"Ah. How could I forget my manners? This boy here must be your little brother. If I remember corectly, it was Ren right?" she assumed.

"Yes. Nice to meet you. But how do you know my sister?" he asked questioning her.

"Ah. I almost forgot about you Sasuke. By the way Sakura, meet Uchiha Sasuke. The second son of Uchiha Group. Sasuke meet Haruno Sakura and Haruno Ren, Sakura's little brother. But you don't know each other?" asked Kurenai.

"No. This is the first time I met him." said Sakura smiling at Sasuke. "But where is your brother Sasuke? That Itachi must be here with you. I didn't greet him yet." chuckled Kurenai.

"He's drinking his whisky. By the way, nice to meet you Sakura-san, Ren-san."

Meanwhile Kurenai was trying to get Itachi to meet Sakura and Ren but he used the excuse of being tired. Though it didn't take long until he gave up and came to meet the two people. If he thought that Sakura was pretty from afar now he found out he was wrong. She was even more beautiful from close too. Just like his previous thought, dark angel.

"Ok. This guy here is Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother and the inheritor of Uchiha's Company. Itachi, she is Sakura

Haruno and her little brother Ren Haruno. Sakura has been my colleague in college. Actually she was the one that got the top score on all subjects being leveled and awarded as the youngest bussiness woman. If I remember corectly you're now 22 right Sakura?"

"I will be 22 next week. And nice to meet you Uchiha-san. It's a pleasure on my behalf to meet the heirs of Uchiha Group."said Sakura while smiling and blushing at the same time.

"Nice to meet you Haruno-san. Both of you." Itachi smiled and couldn't avoid staring in her green-emerald eyes that were somehow drawing him to her. Sakura averted her eyes and kicked with her elbow her brother's stomach.

"Ah. Nice to meet you two too." said Ren trying to push his pain at the back of his mind. "That hurt, nee-chan." he whispered to Sakura. Also Sakura could not stop shoving away Itachi's image from her mind when he smiled at her.

"Ah, now that I think about it are you the daughter of Haruno Kizashi? You know Itachi, the person that father wants to partner with." wondered Sasuke." Yes. He is our father. But what partnership are you talking about? He never told me anything about it."

"We just found out today too. Hm, what are they planning?" Itachi mumbled.

"So Sakura, what are you're plans now? After you finished college and so...are you planning on inheriting your father's work?" all of them took a seat at the counter and began to talk. Kurenai was the one who asked.

"No thank you. I have no intention of going into business." Sakura replied while looking at her drink that just came, though she didn't feel like drinking anymore.

"Why not? If it's like Kurenai said, just a few years and you could be able to surpass your father." said Sasuke.

"Surpass father? Sakura nee-chan..." Ren was about to say something but he got another strike in his stomach which brought back the previous pain.

"No. Now we'll have to excuse ourselves as we have to get home in time for Ren has school tomorrow." She smiled and stood and her phone rang. It took a while for her to find it and when she did, the number on the screen was not known to her by any means. So she answered. Itachi looked at her as she was answering the phone.

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**Ok. The first chapter is here. ^ A new theme, all events taking place in 2014, the present . Hope you like it. :D...Please Review and Comment :)**

_Your dear, Fae_


	2. Ch2 - A phone ringing

**Chapter 2 - A phone ringing**

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"Hello?" she said.

"Hello. Is this an acquaintance of hm...Haruno Kizashi?" the voice from the other side said. Sakura looked with fear at Ren and Itachi saw that.

"Sakura Haruno here. I am his daughter. Let me go out so I can hear you better." Sakura made a sign to Ren and she pulled him after her. "Just a second." she said on the phone. Itachi also rose from his seat and followed the two of them.

"Stay here." he said to the other two people at their counter. So he got out of the caffe and finally found the pink-haired girl and her brother.

"Alright. I am outside. Is something wrong madam?" Sakura asked scared.

"I am from Konoha Great Hospital. Your father just had an accident." Sakura's put the other hand on her mouth and tears began to swell in her eyes. "An...accident?" as soon as Itachi saw and heard her he was just by her side as she was about to fall anytime.

"He's not stable and we don't think he is going to last any longer. If you could come here that would be for the best."

"What happened?" asked Ren when she saw Sakura go all white.

"Father...is...he had an accident." said Sakura slowly. Ren took the phone from her hand when he saw that her sister was not the taking the news good at all. Itachi was trying to confort Sakura was she was still shocked and speechless. "We-We have... to get at the hospital, now !" that is the only thing she said.

"Where is he at?" asked Itachi.

"K-Konoha Great Hospital." she whispered.

"I can take you there. Come with me." he was still helping Sakura stand as he drove them to his car. Itachi opened the front door for her to enter. Afterwards he put his seatbelt on and started to drive towards the hospital. Silence. Sakura was praying for her father to be alright. She couldn't let her fall down now. She had to be strong. For both her father and Ren.

"Please be well." she kept saying with her eyes closed as Itachi was driving. Before arriving he called Sasuke and told him what happened. As he closed his phone they arrived at the hospital. If Itachi hadn't been there to support Sakura when she got out the car she would have tripped and hurt herself. She climbed the stairs of the hospital and finally arrived at reception when a nurse passed by and she asked her about her father.

As the nurse was checking her list she sighed lowly. When she looked at the three of them Sakura didn't want to believe her. The nurse shook her head. Sakura understood the sign as this happened to her before, when her mother died. She didn't drop a tear then and not even now. She was just scared. Scared of what was going to happen to them. Ren though didn't want to believe her also, not until he saw her father.

"Take us to him please. We want to see him." the nurse took them to the morgue. Itachi was also speechless as he didn't know how to behave with the two brothers. He was just there for them. He never lost anyone so he didn't know how it felt. He looked at the pink-haired girl whose eyes betrayed everything but emotions. They followed the nurse as she was leading to the morgue. When they arrived there she slowly picked the white sheet on his body for Sakura to identify him.

There he was, Haruno Kizashi laying on the hospital table ready to be done authopsy. Sakura was still the same, however her brother was crying like a small child. But she couldn't do the same. She couldn't cry however much she wanted to. She realised she had to stay strong for her brother. Sakura turned around to leave when her brother yelled at her. "Are you really not going to say anything? Where are you going?"

"He's dead Ren. There's nothing we can do." Itachi watched as she was keeping her composture strong.

"Is she an idiot or what?" Itachi wondered.

"Now I am going to talk to the Hospital's Head. Um, Uchiha-san thank you for your presence here. It helped a lot, but now you can return to your own problems. We're going to make it on our own from here onwards." said Sakura as if dismissing him just like a servant. Itachi got out of the morgue following her until he eventually reached her.

"Oi. What do you think you are you doing? Your father just died and you behave as if it's an easy matter."

"Thank you for your concern, Uchiha-san but like I said, from now on we're going to manage on our own. Please leave us alone." she said turning at him and smiling. But Itachi knew it was a fake smile. So he just went back at the morgue and helped Ren get out from there. After all he was still just a kid. "She really doesn't get that her brother is aching? Is she really that cold towards her father's death?" thought Itachi to himself.

"Hey are you alright? Haruno-san." he spoke to Ren.

"No. But I will be. I cannot let my sister down. Also what i told her was just foolish. Nee-chan loved our father very much and I know she is hurt. But she is only trying to be strong for my sake. I know that since she did the same thing when mother died." said Ren wiping his tears.

"What do you mean?" asked Itachi.

"Sakura nee-chan has been a mother and a sister to me since mother died. I was only 12 when Sakura was only 17 and she had to take care of me. At least that's what she's been doing until now. Everything for my sake. Now I have to return the favor and be strong too." he replied back.

"Are you sure you can mangage on your own?" he asked again.

"Yes." with this answer Itachi left Ren with the nurse and went out of the hospital room. He found his way to the car and stopped. "What is she going to do from now?" he glanced one more at the hospital and left the location towards his finished talking to the Hospital's Head called Tsunade who was also gonna talk to the police regarding this matter. Sakura felt she was losing her strength and finally decided to get Ren and go home. She found him outside of the hospital looking at the dark sky. Not even one star could be seen.

"Ren." Sakura called his name and he turned around to face her with red eyes. "Let's go home." she said looking at him.

"I'm done solving the problems here. At least for now."

"Nee-chan..." Ren tried to say something and ran to her. He couldn't hold back his tears so he just cried in her hug.

"Don't worry. We'll be fine. We have to stay strong, alright Ren? For our parents. From now on it's just the two of us. I will take care of you like father and mother did." she said conforting him.

"Yes. Let's go home, Sakura nee-chan." replied Ren.

Three days later the funeral took place. There were not a lot of people as Sakura didn't want something big. She remembered about what her father thought about fancy things like those. He didn't like it. Sakura was wearing a black straight dress and Ren a black suit. Their father always wanted to see them elengant like that. The few people that were there were some distant relatives, but they never really cared about their family. Also Ino and her family was there.

Sakura didn't notice at first but, before the funeral ended there were 3 more people present and she knew very well who they were as just 3 days ago she was with them when Sakura heard about her father's accident. Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke and Yuhi Kurenai. Kurenai was also a very good distant friend of her. And Sakura was happy she was there. As for the Uchiha's brothers she didn't know what to believe. They didn't know eachother that well. In fact they didn't know at all. They just had a first meeting. Sakura nodded at the three of them as thanks for being there and they understood that.

As for Itachi, the entire time he just watched her in silence not knowing if he should approach her during the funeral or not. She wanted to look strong on the outside but she wasn't. In fact she was just a woman that just lost her youth by having to take care of her little brother and solve other problems. She was just a woman.

A few minutes later the funeral ended and everyone except Sakura and Itachi, left the graveyard. She just stood there looking at the names written on the marble. "Here lies Haruno Mebuki and Haruno Kizashi..." whispered Sakura. Itachi wanted to get close to her and confort her but something was stopping him. He somehow knew she didn't need him to butt in there. After all he was just a stranger to her. And he hated that.

"Sakura..." a woman voice said from behind her.

"Aunt Miko..." replied Sakura.

"I'm sorry for your father's death. He was a good person." Sakura became suspicious of her from the moment she called her. "If you need anything...you can ask for help."

"Thank you aunt, but we're fine. We can manage on our own." replied Sakura.

"What are you going to do with Ren and the company? You're too young to go into business and after all this tragedy..."

"Heh..." Itachi mumbled. "So-called relatives that their only reason is money."

"I will take care of Ren. I am 22 already. As for the company I will solve it by myself. There's no need to intervene aunt. Like I said we can manage on our own." saying these Sakura turned around and left her aunt by herself. "She's smart..." thought Itachi.

"Damn it." sworn her aunt after Sakura left. And Itachi hearing her, he chuckled.

"Itachi, let's go." Sasuke's voice could be heard and he left the graveyard too.

Two days passed since the funeral and Sakura was worn out already. Finally the company's problems regarding some work that her father couldn't finish were solved. Now she had time to think about what she was going to do from now on. What they were going to do. And she decided. This decision was going to change her entire life.

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**And this is the end of chapter 2 :(. Pretty sad. Comment please.**


	3. Ch 3 - A new beginning

_**A new beginning**_

At the Uchiha Company chatters could be heard everywhere. People found out about the upcoming meeting with Haruno Company. Everyone heard the same thing: that the CEO has changed. All of them wondered who was going to lead the Company. 3 more hours until the meeting will start.

Fugaku and his sons Itachi and Sasuke were waiting patiently in their offices for the upcoming meeting. They didn't get any notice regarding canceling the meeting so they assumed that the offer was still up. But they didn't know who they were going to partner with. Yes, the main idea was to get the two companies together and their power will double around the world. But who was going to lead Harunos?

"Kizashi was a gread leader." said Fugaku to Itachi.

"Yes he was."

"Do you have any idea who took his place?" his father asked.

"No. From what I heard someone close and who knew how he was doing his job is going to take his place, though I am not sure about that." replied Itachi.

"Well then, let us find out."

Two hours later Fugaku, Itachi and Sasuke we're waiting in the meeting room for the next CEO of Haruno Company to sign the papers. And they didn't wait long. When they saw who opened the door they froze. Fugaku looked at his two sons wondering if it's a joke.

"Good afternoon. My name is Haruno Sakura. CEO of Haruno Company. Nice to meet you, Uchiha-san." the pink haired girl looked at Fugaku and stretched her hand to shake with him.

"Is this a joke?" Sasuke Said.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I came here to continue my father's work. So Uchiha-san are you still willing to sign the papers?" asked Sakura. She first looked at Fugaku and Sasuke, then she finally looked at Itachi who was clearly speechless.

"What are you doing here Haruno-san?" Itachi asked as if he didn't hear her previous statement.

"Didn't I make myself understood Uchiha-san?" Sakura kept eyeing Itachi.

"Wait a second. I thought you didn't want to continue your father's job. You said so." Fugaku looked at Itachi now.

"I did say that. But now I have my reasons. Now Fugaku-san, back to my question. Are you still willing to partner-up?" Fugaku didn't know what to say. Letting a little girl lead half of the company was a bit awkward. "I need to talk to Sasuke and Itachi first." Sakura already knew he was going to say something like that but she didn't blink. Not even once.

As the Uchihas reatreated for a few minutes to discuss the matter regarding Sakura, she just waited for them in patience. When they finally came back she knew they wouldn't accept her. If it was her father yes, but not her.

"Alright. First of all Haruno-san, we think that you're still not ready to take the lead over the company right now. We believe that you should get more knowledge about our company." Fugaku tried to say more but Sakura interupted them.

"So you're saying that you don't want the partnership?" she asked.

"Well, you being Kizashi's daughter, we believe you can surpass him in time. But you're still young and..." he didn't finish the sentence.

"Alright I got it. There's no need for you to say anymore. I already knew you would say something like that." Fugaku took a fast glance at his sons.

"Haruno-san...Don't get us wrong." Itachi intervened.

"May I say something?" asked Sakura.

"Go ahead." replied Sasuke obviously annoyed.

"Alright. Let me show you something. After reading a bit about your company in the last two days, I found out some things. Things that you haven't noticed regarding your managers. Did you know that the past two years the income from half of your sales dropped? Not really dropped but they weren't registered entirely, and that's only because the managers you have have been stealing from you. If you don't do something in time of an year they will dry you out of your income. The real one." She said showing them on the projector some statistics. Sakura looked at Fugaku and Itachi who were obviously annoyed. She knew their feeling. For an outsider to find out in such a short time a thing like this was not right.

Fugaku moved his eyes from the wall to her. As for Itachi he was simply stunned. He didn't expect from her something like this. It was like stabbing them from behind. Sasuke whispered something to his father and left the meeting room. Sakura clearly understanding their situation couldn't stop talking.

"I didn't tell you this to make you feel bad. I was just stating the truth. What I am saying is that if you partner up with Haruno Company, you will not have to worry about that. I still know that Uchiha Group is much more powerful than it shows. Uchiha-san, if you don't do anything regarding this I am afraid...the Company will go bankrupt only because of those people." finished Sakura.

"Hm...Very well Haruno-san." Fugaku bent over the papers and signed them. "I expect big things from you. From now on you're on the leading side." he said before leaving the room.

"He's clearly not satisfied with what I just told him. Right?" she said as if asking someone. Itachi was still there.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" he said clenching his teeth.

"I am just doing what my father would have done." she replied.

"So you think you can just come here and take his place? Haruno-san, you're not as clever as I thought. You'd better not get your nose in what doesn't concern you." said Itachi with a cold voice.

"Do you have something against me, Uchiha-san?" Sakura's coldness could be heard. "What problems you have with the fact that I took my father's place?"

"Well, let's say I expected someone more appropiate for this kind of work." he was impassive.

"You don't even know me Uchiha. Your father was the one who decided to sign the papers after all. You don't have a single word in that. And don't worry because I will take care of things here. You can rest assured." saying these Sakura left the room, leaving Itachi on the same spot emotionless.

"We'll see what you can do." thought Itachi to himself.

After the meeting, Sakura went home to rest for the upcoming days. It was going to be hectic at the company from now. Sakura couldn't take her mind from Itachi and the face he made when she told them those things. She was not welcomed at all, that she could notice from their reactions.

"You're home?" a boy's voice asked from behind her room's door.

"Yes Ren. Are you hungry?" she asked undressing from her work clothes.

"Yes. I am waiting for you to eat." he replied. Sakura took a pair of black shorts, a white t-shirt and a black hoody from her wardrobe. "What do you mean?" she asked meanwhile opening the door.

"I made the food today." Ren smiled at her, but he saw she wasn't in a good mood. She was gloomy. "Did something happen?" Ren asked.

"No. Let's go." he didn't believe her at all. They ate in silence. Ren still wanted to talk to her about a lot of things, but he knew she already had too many to bear on her shoulders. Having to take care of him, of the company and the family matters was not as easy as he thought. After finishing Sakura rose from her seat and took a pair of shoes for running.

"I will be back in about 2 hours, Ren." she waited for her brother to answer but didn't hear him say anything and just looked at him. "Is something wrong?" she asked again.

"No. Be careful by the way. A storm is approaching." he replied to her. In exchange Sakura only nodded and exited the building. Their compound was not something extremely big, only a mansion with 5 rooms, 1 kitchen and 2 bathrooms. The garden behind the house was magnificent because of their mother who loved flowers. Sakura used to like them too, but since their mother died she hadn't taken care of it as it was bringing back too many memories. Instead they were taken care of by Ren. He just couldn't let the flowers wither losing all their beauty. Sakura looked at the garden and gave a sad smile.

And so she began to run. The rain began to drop but she didn't care. Neither did she go back. Sakura just kept running thinking about various things. But she still couldn't erase Itachi's cold gaze from her mind.

"Uchiha Itachi, huh?" she leaned on a wall and drank a bit of water and continued to run.

2 hours passed since Sakura left the house and Ren began to worry. The storm increased and was harsher than before. He heard the door close.

"I thought you got lost somewhere, nee-chan." he said knowing that it was her.

"As if I would." sakura was sweating a lot and the water was pouring on the ground from her wet hair and clothes.

"These files came for you from the Uchiha Company. They said they wanted you to watch over them until tomorrow's meeting." Ren said.

"Ok. I will take a bath and take a look at them after. Just leave them on the table." she said climbing the stairs to her room and going towards the bathroom. She really needed one after the storm outside. Her hair was all muddy but she didn't really care about.

Ren on the other hand was staying in the kitchen staring at the counter where the food he made just a while ago was resting and waiting to be eaten. "Guess not today." he whispered to himself.

In her room Sakura took off her clothes as she was looking at the files on the mini - counter. "Another issue I have to take care of. Can't they just figure this problems of theirs on their own?" She moved her eyes to her window to see that the rain is not going to stop soon. "I guess life's like this. Nothing we can do about it." After a few more seconds she went into to bathroom and washed her muddy body. 30 minutes passed until she knew it was high time she got out of bath. She had something to take care of before going to bed. She went out and got dressed into her night gown and found her way to the desk. Only a small glance was needed to realise that the numbers she was looking at were way too different than how they should be in reality. "How could they not see this? It's Uchiha Company for God's sake !" she kept visualising all the documents when she finally got to a conclusion. She closed the files and found her way to bed.

"Tomorrow is going to be a hard day." she thought to herself before closing her eyes and falling into a deep nightmareless sleep.

"Ren. Are you ready?" asked Sakura behind his door.

"Yes. Wait a second." he said before opening the door to his room. "I am ready now. Have you eaten?"

"Yes, just a while ago. I figured you wouldn't be able to eat home and made you a package for school." Sakura winked at him. "Todays the meeting right?" Ren asked her.

"Yes. Meeting the Uchiha's is inevitable." she chuckled. "But they still have some serious problems, which are going to be solved today. I am leaving now. Don't forget about your food ok?"

"No worries sis. Take care at work." he replied to Sakura as she was hurrying to get her shoes. "I will." Sakura gave him a smile and left the house.

10 minutes later she arrived in front of the company when see looked above at the high building. "They are not going to like this one bit." Then she entered the building and found her way towars the conference room. There were around 10 people sitting around an enormous table waiting for the new manager to come. And they had a big surprise.

"Hm. This is not a playground kid. You got the wrong room." one of them said to her, but Sakura was just glancing around the room. Then she found them. The three Uchiha's seated at the front of the table, all waiting for her.

"I am sorry to tell you, but I didn't come here to play. My name is Haruno Sakura." She looked at them as they started to whisper to each other.

~whispers~

"Haruno? Isn't that supposed to be our future boss?"

"I heard the one in charge died, and they sent a kid to solve matters."

"Poor her. Her father was a tyrant."

"She is going to take his place? A little girl?"

~end~

"If you have something to say, do it in front of me not behind. From what I know I haven't lost my hearing. Now let's get to business. Like I said I didn't come here to play." She looked at the 3 Uchihas, but only one managed to hold her stare. After a few seconds she spoke again.

"Starting today, you are all fired." Everyone froze. Sakura was expecting something much more than a dead silence. Just when she thought she was wrong, she was actually right. After a few seconds everyone except the 3 began to yell and scream at her.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"A kid like you has no right to do such a thing?"

"Who do you think you are to give such an order?"

"ENOUGH !" She answered to them. "You will have your reason too. You've been in this company for a long time but this is ending here. In the last years all of you stole money from the company using it for your own interest. You stole what was not yours. And this has consequences. As of starting today, I am the new associate of Uchiha Company. Or I should call it Uchiha and Haruno co. I will not tolerate any money embezelments anymore. So like I said, you are all fired."

"Uchiha-san, you know this is not true." said one of them with a scaried look on his face towards Fugaku. However he had an empty look. Then he looked again at Sakura. "It's just like she said. From now on, she will be the one giving orders."

"But..." one of them mumbled.

"No buts. This is my decision and no one is going to change it." Sakura stated as she closed the registry. "You should have stopped when it was still early for you." Standing she gave the Uchihas a nod and continued with her issues. The meeting was mainly on the same problem: managers stealing from the company, failing in doing their job. 30 minutes later people were getting out of the conference room heading towards the caffeteria.

Sakura went towards an elevator as she felt herself a bit dizzy and got inside when it came to her floor. She was glad that she was the only one in it, however just when the doors were about to close someone stepped inside. Sakura couldn't hold back from sighing but then again she was glad it was none of the fired people. Instead was Itachi.

"Mind if I take it also?" he mumbled.

"No." she replied. The silence that gathered after a fraction of a few seconds seemed unterminable. Just when he wanted to ask if she was feeling ok, Sakura opened her mouth to say something.

"Are you going for the caffeteria?"

"No. I have another meeting in a few minutes with some people from the R&amp;D department." Sakura kept looking at him as if she was still waiting for an answer. She looked straigth into his eyes as if to decypher something but she couldn't tell anything. After a while she shook her head awaiting for the answer.

"Did you hear what I said?" he asked her.

"No. I'm sorry, I was thinking about something. What were you saying?" Sakura tried to smile but it didn't work.

"That I have another meeting in 10 minutes. You do realise that firing our managers just made us lose profit?"

"It's not as if they were competent. After stealing from you, you still wanted them here?"

"You can't barge in here firing people however you want, when you want."

"I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for this issue and you know it Uchiha-san." she replied coldly. "And one more thing."

Itachi wanted to say something but he let her go ahead. "You'd better stop doubting my competences. I might be young but I know everything I need to know regarding this business. Maybe even more than you. Now I will take my leave. I have other departments that i have to attend to." saying these she left the elevator with Itachi stunned.

A few hours later Sakura was exhausted and wanted to go home. She was planning to leave but only after solving the issue with 1 more last department, R&amp;D (research &amp; development). She knew she was going to meet that person here as he was the director of it. But it was now her job to reevaluate all departments on her own. Based on the files she read she could only figure a part of the problems. But there were other problems too. Sakura went along the coridor looking over the door's windows inside the rooms. However she had the premonition that this department was led corectly. And it was expected. After all from what she noticed, Uchiha Itachi was not an indulgent person. She recognized him as worthy of inheriting this company in the future.

There it was the Director's Office. Sakura waited outside for a while before entering thinking about what she would tell him regarding his department. Basically she had nothing to say. Only that he was perfect at what he was doing.

"Temari, please bring me the document we were talking about in the morning." his voice said behind the door. Sakura didn't wait anymore and knocked on the door.

"Enter. That was fast Te..." he rose his eyes only to see that it wasn't Temari who entered but Sakura. "Oh. Haruno-san, still here this late at night?" he asked her not knowing exactly what to say. Either get angry for today in the elevator or to be nice to her.

"I'm finishing inspecting the departments. This was the last one."

"Hm, really? And what is your opinion on this one if I may ask." she could feel his gaze over her waiting for an answer.

"I have to say that out of the entire company this department is the best led. No incompetent people, very rarely mistakes. You're good at leading Uchiha-san. This is what I am going to say." She looked him straight in the eyes. She was a bit surprised when he rose from his seat and went towards her.

"What are you doing?" she asked him when he patted her on her hair.

"Relax kitty. I'm not going to eat you." Sakura blushed to her ears, her cheeks going red close to a strawberry.

Itachi was also shocked at his latest action but he didn't let it show. He found her somehow amusing by blushing like a little girl. Itachi was looking at the pink haired woman in front of him. But he was even more shocked when he saw her eyes tearing.

"Haruno-san?" he wanted to continue to ask her what was wrong but she just shover his hand when he wanted to reach for her chin.

"Stop it." she replied coldly at him. "I'm going now." Sakura turned around to leave but he felt him grab her arm.

"Not so fast." He turned her around to face him and kept getting close to her. "What is it? Why did you get upset all of a sudden?"

"It doesn't concern you." Sakura kept backing down until she felt her back hit the wall. She was caught and she knew it.

"Well since I was the one who provoked that, actually it does. So spit it out."

"You...My father was the only one I ever allowed to pat me on the head. That was his way of showing me affection. And kitty...that's what he used to called me. Now you got your answer so let me go." Sakura tried to get out of his grasp but he didn't let her. For some reason he wanted to smell her hair. He was so sure it smelled of cherries but he was wrong. Just when he was about to lean in to smell it Temari entered the office and saw them.

Sakura pushed Itachi and before exiting the room he adressed him one last reply. "From now on stay away from me, or I swear that I'm going to pull that hair of yours out of your head." she hissed at him the words and left. Temari glanced back and forth at the door and at Itachi taking his seat.

"Hm. What exactly was that?" she asked Itachi. He was the one to allow her to speak informally to him all the time. And Temari was one to be direct.

"A scared kitty. Did you bring it?" he stretched his hand to get the document but it felt as if he was going to wait long and well. "Hm, that was Haruno Sakura? The new CEO of Haruno's?"

"Exactly. Now the documents Temari."

"She looks good. I mean a bit young but she's definitively a woman. Any other girl would envy those curves and that straight long hair."

"Temari!"

"Fine fine. But you have to agree with me on this one." She said winking at him waiting for his answer. Itachi knew that she was not going to leave until he satisfied her curiousity. "OK OK. You're right. She looks good. Now you can leave. I will be staying a few more minutes to check this then I'm leaving too."

"Alright. Then I will be taking my leave. See you in the morning." she finally said before closing the office door. As for Itachi, he was hoping the recent incidents wouldn't make his mind waver from his duties but he was so wrong. He was thinking about Sakura the whole time and couldn't focus on his work. So he just left the office late at night at 1 am.

Alright. Finally the 3rd chapter. I'm sorry it took so long to upload it but my University is in chaos :)) I have to go to the hospital and barely have time to write. But here it is :D Please let me know your opinion :)


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